Stackable table



C. WALKER STACKABLE TABLE Feb. 6, 1951 Filed Aug. 51, 1948 INVEN TOR. CflIE'L M1. IKE/f;

flaw/9 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 6, 1951 amuse) STACKABLE TABLE Carl Walker, Norwood, Ohio, assignor to The Globe Wernicke Company, Norwood, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application August 31, 1948, Serial No. 47,000 Claims. (01. 211-31) This invention relates to a stackable table, and more particularly to a table having a folding leg structure such as are used as serving tables in hotels, restaurants and clubs, and which are usually provided with a foldable leg structure so that the tables may be stored in a minimum of space when not in use.

When folding leg tables are stored awayduring period when they are not in use they are either laid one upon the other, or they are stood up on edge, side by side. Regardless of the way in which they are stored, the surfaces are subject to denting, scratching and general deterioration. Furthermore, if a considerable number of such tables are stacked one upon the other, and if they are not carefully stacked, the upper tables in a stack may easily fall off and be damaged in falling.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it is an object of my invention to provide a table of the class mentioned, having a construction whereby a number of such tables may be stacked one upon the other in a secure and steady stack whereby the danger of upper tables in the stack sliding off is eliminated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a table construction whereby a plurality of tables having folding legs may be stacked upon each other without damage to the top surfaces thereof and without damage to the side edges.

These and other objects of the invention which will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications are accomplished by that construction and arrangement of parts of which the following is anrexemplary embodiment.

Reference is made to the drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a table according to the invention, with the legs in erected condition.

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional viewtaken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a table according to Figure 1 with the legs in folded condition.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of a table with the legs in folded condition as in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3, and showing how these tables may be stacked.

Briefly, in the practice of the invention there is provided a table having top and side rail elements which together define an inverted shallow 2 tray. The folding leg structure is secured within the inverted shallow tray either to the lower surface of the top member, or to the interior surface of the rails. The side rails are provided with stacking elements and are of such depth that when the leg structures are folded in against the under-surface of the top member, the entire folding leg structure lies within the depth of the side rail members so that there is no interference with the stacking elements.

Thus, in the drawings there is shown a table having a top member H] which may be of any desired material, although it is here shown as being of laminated wood. The side rail members are indicated at it, and the side rail members may be provided with the mortices E2 to receive tenons it provided along the edges of the top member The side rails may be mitered together at their corners as indicated at M.

The above described structure is by way of example only and it will be clear that as to the details heretofore mentioned, they are exemplary only and that the top may if desired be made of a single piece of wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material.

The leg members it, may be of any suitable form and may be provided with any conventional folding and locking mechanism, as indicated generally at it. Since the specific leg structure forms no part of the present invention it will be not described in detail. It will be understood that while in the embodiment shown the leg structures are secured to the insides of the side rails l l, they could, if desired, be secured to the end surface of the top it.

The side rail members are rabbeted at their upper and outer edges as indicated at I7, and are also rabbeted at their lower and inner edges as indicated at iii. It will be observed that the upper rabbets ll are of greater depth in a vertical direction and of less width in a lateral direction, than the lower rabbets it, and it will also be observed that the depth of the side rails ll between the bottom surface of the top member I0 and the horizontal surfaces of the rabbets I8, is such that when the legs are in folded condition they, together with their folding and locking structures, lie entirely between the lower surface of the top member I0 and the horizontal portions of the rabbets 18.

Thus, when two or more tables according to the invention are stacked one upon the other as shown in Figure 5, the leg structure I5 of the upper table does not contact the upper surface of the top member ID, of the next lower table.

The horizontal portion of the rabbet [8 of the upper table rests upon the upper edge of the rail ll of the next lower table, and by virtue of the relationship between the rabbets l1 and 18, the downwardly depending edge portion of the side rail 18a does not contact any portion of the next lower table, as will clearly be seen from an inspection of Figure '5.

In this way any convenient number of tables may be stacked one upon the other without damage to the surfaces of the tables or to their side edges, since the side edges do not normally-contact the adjacent table. The depending edges 8a prevent the upper table from sliding off a lower table by virtue of the rabbets l-l of the next lower table.

It will be seen that there is provided-a table of extremely simple construction which may be made as light or as sturdy as the usage-to'which it will be put demands, and that a number of suc'htables may be-stored in a'minimum ofspace without damage to the finished surfaces thereof.

It will 'be clear that numerous modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and that no limits are intended other than those set forth in the claims which follow.

Having now fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and what is desired'to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A table comprising a top member having side along their upper outer edges and along their lower inner edges, said upper notches being of greater depth, vertically, and of less depth, laterally, than said lower notches, a folding leg structure for said table secured thereto within the region defined by said side rails, the depth of said side rails between said notches being greater than the width-of said leg structure in folded condition, 'so that said leg structure in folded condition lies entirely above said lower notches, whereby a plurality of said tables maybe stacked upon-each other by inter-engagement of said upper and lower notches.

2. 'A table comprising a top member having side rails, said side rails having longitudinal notches along their upper outer edges and along their lower inner edges, said upper notches beingof greaterdepth, vertically, and of less depth, laterally, than said lower notches, a folding leg structure for said table secured to said side rails on their-inner sides, the depth of said side rails between said notches being greater than the width of said leg structure in folded condition, so that said leg structure in folded condition lies entirely above said lower notches,'whereby-a plurality of said tables may be stacked uponeach other by interengagement of said upper and lower notches.

3. A'table comprising side rails anda top mem- "bersecured thereto, said side rails being rabbeted along their upper outer edges and along their lower inner edges, said upper rabbets being of greater depth, vertically, and of less depth, laterally, than said lower rabbets, a folding leg structure for said table secured thereto within the region defined by said side rails and top member, the depth of said side rails from the lower surface of said top member to said lower rabbets between said notches being greater than thewidth of'saidleg structure in folded condition, so that said leg structure in folded condition lies entirely between said top member and said lower rabbets, whereby a plurality of said tables may be stacked upon each other by inter-engagement of'said rabbets.

' rails, said side rails having longitudinal'notches 4.-A table comprising side rails and a top member secured thereto, said side rails being rabbeted along their upper outer edges and along their lower inner edges, said upper rabbets being-of'greater depth, vertically, and of less depth, laterally, than said lower rabbets, a folding leg :stru'cture :for-said table secured to said side rails rality of said tables may be stacked upon each iother'by.interengagement of said rabbets.

5. 'A table-comprising side rails having mortise :slots :along their upper inner sides, and a top inember'having tenons along its sides,-said tenons engaging insaidmortiseslots and said'side rails being mitered-together at theircorners, saidside rails being rabbeted along their upper outer edges and along their lower inner edges, said upper rabbets being of greater depth, vertically, Tandof lessdepth, laterally, than said lower rabb'ets, a folding leg structure forsaid table secured to said side rails on-their .innersides .below said top=mernber, the depth of said side rails fromthe lower-"surface of said'top member to said lower 'rabbetsbetween said notches being greater than the width of said leg structure infolded condition, so that-said leg structure in folded condition lies entirelybetween-said' top member and said lower rabbets, wherebyva plurality of said tables may be stacked upon'eachother by inter-engagement of raid rabbets.

CARL WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following .references :are of record in the i file -of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

